Ambrish Kumar's board story on tobacco published in Janadesh.in on 20/08/2008 (English translation)

Cotton cultivations engulfed by Tobacco
Tobacco Board meeting on alternative employment and cultivation, Ambrish Kumar, senior journalist and IMCFJ Fellow

Rajamundhury, Andhra Pradesh: August 19, 2008: Tobacco cultivation is engulfing cotton in Andhra Pradesh (AP). But before the steps for discouraging tobacco cultivation can be thought of, it spreads across from the banks of Krishna to the Godavari. Tobacco plantation starts in September and by January it is in full bloom in the markets. In the last season, the sale of tobacco at Rs. 142 per kg has further accelerated the shift in cultivation demand. The farmers are having a field day. The traditional crops are losing out due to the shift in the farmers’ changing preferences. These were some of the concerns shared by the farmers in a meeting on alternate cropping organised on Tuesday in Rajamundhury. This meeting was called on behalf of the Indian Society for Tobacco Sciences (ISTS), Central Tobacco Research Institute and the Tobacco board. In the meeting, the farmers voiced their opposition to the alternate cropping. They argued that the alternate crops will not give them a good profit as tobacco cultivation does. Suggested alternate crops include Soyabeen, Chickpeas or Garbanzo Beans, Eucalyptus, Subabul (Leucaena leucocephala), Lemongrass and Basil among others.

On the other hand, statistics show that not only has the production of tobacco increased, but the preference for its cultivation has also increased. A big part of the tobacco used in the cigarettes is produced in AP, while the rest is from Karnataka. In 2005-06, tobacco production was 145.36 lakh ton in AP, which rose to 171.95 lakh ton. However, it was accepted that there had been a slight fall in the production in 2008 due to the changing environment. In this way,, the demand for tobacco cultivation in 2005-06 rose from 1 lakh 17 thousand hectare to 1 lakh 26 thousand hectare in 2007-08. Speaking to the Jansatta paper the tobacco board’s production controller, APV Varda Sthapak*** acknowledged the rise in the demand for tobacco cultivation.
The increasing affluence among the farmers in AP can be seen right along the coastal area stretching from Guntur to Rajamundhury. As one farmer, Srinivasan Rao from Guntur’s Chheprole village states, “We were facing loses in Cotton cultivation. Whereas the rates for tobacco being sold went up to Rs. 142 per kg. Why would then one go for cotton cultivation? The profit from the tobacco cultivation is a reason why many farmers now increasingly prefer tobacco over other traditional crops.” The chairman of the tobacco board, Suresh Babu stated, “It is true that there is an increased demand for tobacco cultivation. One of the reasons for this is the increased profits from tobacco in the last season. But the govt. is now seriously thinking about measures for controlling the tobacco production. In the coming few years, the govt. plans to reduce the demand for production of tobacco by half. But the whole programme/measures will be implemented in phases. So far as the profit from the tobacco cultivation is concerned, I am with you.”